Letters To The Editor

July 14, 1989

SERIOUS ISSUES

Some thoughts on school systems, welfare and abortion:

Everybody in our country is entitled to an education that fits that person's need. If a person' ambitions are in the area of white-collar professional, let our school system put these people in an academic environment. But let it be a good one. If a person's ambitions or aptitude are vocational, let's set up the best four-year high school for vocational education. We need good mechanics, welders, plumbers, carpenters, brick layers and electricians.

Welfare is for those who have no ambition in either direction. But let us only pay for one illegitimate child. Without the profit motive, maybe that is all the unwed will have. One mistake I can buy, but more than that no way.

As for abortion, let the pro-life people put their money where their mouths are. Let them pay for the extra children. Let them set up housing for these poor children.

Allan H. Stein

Newport News

KEEP YOUR GUN

Who paid with sweat, blood and loss of lives for the privilege to bear arms, to protect one's home and family? Let's think of the first settlers. They braved winds and oceans to find religious freedom. These poor souls suffered cold, disease, poor crops, starvation and still held high their ideals of freedom of speech, press, religion and the right to bear arms.

These same pioneers carried guns. They hunted for meat, used the pelts for clothing and blankets. Sometimes they were forced to defend their families against enemies both red and white. If these pioneers had no guns, they could never have defeated the British troops.

The only thing that stops Russia from conquering this country is guns. Every homeowner has guns, that is except a few dummies. Russia could take over Washington, D.C., and a few more cities but never the country like she did Afghanistan.

Congress has done away with religious freedom in our schools. This same Congress will not make laws stiff enough to put fear into the criminals.

Doing away with guns will not stop the criminals from getting guns to use. We need laws to back up the police to shoot and ask questions afterwards. We should hang by the neck any criminal guilty of armed robbery, rape, incest, assault with intent to do bodily harm and assault with a deadly weapon.

A gun control law only limits the gun owner who sometimes hunts and tries to protect his home. Any criminal can buy guns and ammo as easy as you can buy a kilo of cocaine for a buck. Gun control opens the door for drug smugglers to carry guns as well as dope to sell. The only answer is to kill the man who uses a gun to commit a crime.

Richard Townsend

Saluda

WHAT'S FAIR?

Ah, the technicality of words. I get so tired of reading about people not having to take the consequences for their actions because the wording wasn't right. The Supreme Court is finally getting around to almost calling abortion killing a baby, what a crass way of putting it, but I find few people anymore who don't believe that. Pro-choicers just defend their right to do it at anytime of pregnancy but use the pleasant word abortion. Now they are screaming it's unfair that those wanting an abortion should pay for it themselves.

What about the poor? Look behind the words. The poor should have the right to use my money to kill their kid? That's fair? I am not that charitable. Something is wrong with our society.

Call me whatever name you want to, but I don't advocate killing babies. You do? Do it on your own time and don't tell me about it.

Janet R. Higgins

Newport News

ALL WRONG

In Jim Spencer's column of July 2, including Ginger Vaughan's comments on flag burning, I think one or two factores are overlooked.

First, a protester is usually protesting against some particular alleged wrong that he or she wishes righted. The flag of the United States is a symbol of all that this nation holds to and stands for, if we are indeed united.

To burn, step on or demean our flag, our symbol, is to disavow not just one particular point of contention; it is to defy and hold in contempt all that America represents. I believe that anyone who burns, steps on or otherwise shows contempt for our flag means to do just that. Their cry is "To hell with the establishment." Their very appearance (always before a camera) - hair, beard, ludicrous dress - is their banner.

Second, Ginger's statement that "people are reacting to flag burning with their guts rather than their brains." Most of the freedoms we enjoy, and that those creeps crawl under for protection when they are confronted, came not initially from brains but from guts and blood of those who fought to win them for us. King George didn't listen to reason until forced to, and more recently Hitler didn't pay much attention to Chamberlin's reasoning.

Yes, Ginger, we have the right to say what's wrong, but stomping our symbol of all that's right about America and burning our flag is all wrong. The stompers and burners, whether they truly mean it or not, are saying that what we stand for is all wrong. No, Ginger, I don't think you want that.